Charges laid in murder of Ahtahkakoop man

Four people have been charged with second-degree murder and criminal negligence in connection to the 2011 death of Christian Bird, 27, from  Ahtahkakoop First Nation. The charges were laid in September against three youths and one adult male, Dannie Justin Knife, 19, from Prince Albert. In the early morning hours of May 1, 2011, Bird was found by a passerby about 50 feet from shore, clinging to a piece of ice in Sandy Lake near the Ahtahkakoop First Nation. The passerby alerted an RCMP officer, who was responding to what was later determined to be a†related disturbance. The RCMP officer entered the icy water and pulled the unresponsive man to shore. Shortly after being removed from the water, Bird was pronounced dead. The Major Crime Unit North has been assisting the Shellbrook RCMP detachment with the investigation. RCMP said new information had been received earlier in the week prior to the charges being laid.